The National Association of Waste Disposal Officers says ‘broken’ system is placing significant pressure on the UK’s fridge and freezer recycling infrastructure.
The National Association of Waste Disposal Officers (NAWDO) has warned of significant pressure on the UK’s fridge and freezer recycling infrastructure and is calling for the government to support local authorities.
Describing the current system as ‘broken’, NAWDO is calling on the government and Producer Compliance Schemes to maintain collections where possible, provide funding for storage costs, and assist with any additional costs falling on councils.
NAWDO, a network for senior waste managers within local authorities with statutory responsibilities for waste disposal, says these measures will prevent local residents ‘paying for disposal twice’.
Some Producer Compliance Schemes, which are responsible for collecting and recycling old appliances under the WEEE Regulations, have suspended collections of fridges and freezers from local authority sites.
As a consequence, many councils have also stopped accepting fridges and freezers at HWRCs, and some have temporarily suspended collection services.
NAWDO says the issue has been caused by a series of ‘operational disruptions’ over several years, which has significantly impacted the UK’s fridge treatment and disposal capacity.
However, they explain that the situation has been exacerbated by increases in appliance sales and replacements driven by the summer’s heatwave. There are often reduced processing rates at some treatment facilities during periods of extreme heat.
NAWDO warns the situation could lead to fridge stockpiles and fly-tipping without government intervention.